In 1943, just after the big tank battle of Kursk, it was obvious that the Russian medium weight tanks had to increase fire power to be able to come up to the same level as the newest German tanks. The solution was a compromise that turned out very well. A new bigger cast turret with an 850 mm gun was put on an ordinary (but heavier armoured) hull of a T 34 model 1943, and the brand new model was born. Though it didn't look so well balanced with its big turret it was the fast solution to an acute problem. Production seased in late 1944 after a year's production of over 7.200 vehicles, thereby closing the huge number of T 34s.